Morocco in 2012

694,420 sq km (268,117 sq mi), including the 252,120-sq-km (97,344-sq-mi) area of the disputed Western Sahara annexation

Population

(2012 est.): 32,832,000, of which Western Sahara 523,000

Capital:

Rabat

Head of state and government:

King Muhammad VI, assisted by Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane

Morocco in 2012 completed its first year under the Islamist-dominated government led by the Justice and Development Party (PJD), which had come to power in November 2011. At the beginning of 2012, the PJD put forward an ambitious five-year plan aiming for GDP growth of 5.5% and a reduction in unemployment from 9.2% to 8%. The new government also sought dialogue with trade unions and with the protest movement that had led demonstrations on Feb. 20, 2011, although by 2012 the movement had lost much of its popular support.

Despite royal opposition, the new government also sought to increase political rights, carry out judicial reform, and liberalize control of radio and television. In April, Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane criticized the palace for having rejected his plans for media reform. He was later forced to apologize. In August the PJD criticized an annual ceremony, in which government officials pledge loyalty to the king, as humiliating and outdated. A demonstration against the ceremony was violently broken up by police.

The government increased social spending, despite the risk of worsening the budget deficit. A poor harvest drove up cereal imports, and the current account deficit rose to 9.5% of GDP while foreign exchange reserves dipped to only $15 billion. The IMF, however, agreed to a new $6.2 billion credit line in August.

Government spending on infrastructure projects, including renewable energy, port development, and a high-speed train between Casablanca and Tangier, continued despite growing concerns about budget deficits. The phosphate industry announced that it would triple fertilizer production and double raw phosphate production by 2020 to generate additional foreign exchange revenue.

Unemployment remained high, however, and there were violent protests at Ben Guerir, which were broken up by police at the end of January. Foreign investment was depressed by the crisis in Europe. Renault opened a new car-assembly plant close to Tangier, which was expected to employ 6,000 workers at full production. Plans for renewable energy to satisfy 40% of Moroccan demand by 2020 continued with foreign finance.

In mid-2012 Morocco announced that it had no confidence in the UN special envoy for the Western Sahara, Christopher Ross, who had been appointed in 2009 and had been very critical of Morocco’s position. In late March an Israeli diplomat was prevented from addressing a Euro-Mediterranean forum meeting in Rabat by a pro-Palestinian mass demonstration.

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